PEACE CORP VOLUNTEER IN 1969

THE TACTFUL PEACE CORP VOLUNTEER IN 1969

Tall, dark and handsome were not the appropriate adjectives to describe him best. His height was amazing; his complexion was reddish-white, like a contaminated rice cake and he smiled brightly whenever told he was handsome. He looked like most Americans, only, he was real tactful. I first met him when he was in the very mood (?) to meet practically anyone because he just arrived in our town. He was with Atty. Teresito Rosanes then whose complexion was similar to his but with more contamination. He told me he spoke a “little Tagalog” and he really proved it with all his might: “Kah…unt..teh…lang”, he said, then smiled like a Filipino who didn’t know English and said yes to an American.

Upon mention of his name Robert Taft, I almost saw him drunk and carelessly walking like a drunken American down Taft Avenue in Manila, the street named after his old grand, grand, grand (?) father, William Taft. Immediately, he knew his way around. He laughed even when unnecessary just to be courteous to someone giving an unfunny joke. He gave his jokes too, and expected people to laugh just as well, courtesy aside. He thought he was humorous, for indeed he really was.

He enjoyed Filipino foods very much. He ate with “gusto” but Filipinos eat not without “gusto” but with more guts too. We ate together once in a party and found ourselves full.

Bob is a well-rounded personality not only intellectually but also socially, physically, emotionally, spiritually and yes “peacefully”…qualities that qualified him to join the Peace Corp. Bob was also tactful… he did the right thing at the right time. One time we were caught by the rain in Manila and he walked on water when he realized that everything else was submerged. Isn’t that doing the right thing at the right time?

He could drink beer direct from the bottle when there were no drinking glasses available, didn’t drink wine when offered water and could sing pretty well.
He is tactful too, because he played basketball in the basketball court. He taught Modern math even in a primitive school and claimed to have garnered modern results. He danced like an American even with a Filipina partner who danced like a Filipina…and mind you, in a dancing hall. He was friendly, yet, could be very temperamental at times as when Jaqueline Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis. Everybody knew him, for he took part in all activities…from a mini fair to a grand wedding. Sponsored anything he thought was worth sponsoring, be it a newborn baby, a black uniform with a question mark or little things like a public library. He was superbly careful in making comments and remarks but his actions spoke louder. Bob was Ambassador of Peace to Alfonso, Cavite which was awarded a citation for being the most peaceful, long before he came.

In a few months, Bob will be returning to his homeland, the United States of America. The town of Alfonso will surely miss him. The old folks shall be inquiring about the “Kanu”, his friends shall be talking about Bob. The children will definitely remember him as they grow up, especially when they are already applying their knowledge in modern math in the modern world. When that time comes, no one could probably pinpoint where Bob would be and only this simple essay may serve as a reminder “that a young American named Robert Taft stayed for two years in this little town of Alfonso, Cavite.

But Bob didn’t just stay in Alfonso. He lived his two years there where he left behind “Peace” in various forms: He presented peace mathematically through his modern math.; he expressed it through his friendliness and actuation in general; he even sang it out during many important occasions, but most of all he left peace in Alfonso, in the form of a “cute” little “Aklatang Bayan”. How can Alfonso therefore forget a man with a characteristic contaminated rice cake complexion?

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In 1986, Mr. Robert Taft came back to Alfonso to visit his friends. It is a pity that we didn’t meet for I was then out of town. We missed each other but I hope he didn’t miss the fact that Alfonso is still peaceful, before, during and after the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos. I could have explained to him what happened to the Public Library. Good he came back to see me in 2007.

From the book TINGKORAW:Alfonso's History and Legend by jett e. avinante, m.d.